The guidelines of the current national environmental policy emphasise the promotion and sustainable use of environmental goods and services. At the international level this issue has been discussed in the World Trade Organization due to the Doha Ministerial Declaration (2001). Furthermore, the topic is implicit in the present development agenda. The debate has revolved around reaching an agreement about the criterion and definitions of environmental goods and services for trade purposes. A restricted perspective about these items have prevailed the current discussion that excludes holistic approaches of the environmental economy. Goods and services related to biodiversity and ecosystems that may interest ‘megadiverse’ countries such as Colombia are not at the centre of the discussion. The absence of or a passive role in this debate entails the loss of benefits and opportunities for the sustainable use of natural resources which in turn is contradictory with the present environmental policy. In addition, the outcomes achieved at the WTO will have repercussions in other bilateral or regional trade agreements accorded by the country and the degree of autonomy over the control of strategic natural resources.